Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong has inaugurated a Special Committee for Research on Coronavirus and other Infectious Diseases in the State.
At the inauguration of the research team, the Governor said although the State has had to deal with many infectious diseases in the past, it has not been confronted with anything like the Coronavirus pandemic in recent history.
He said “indeed, this generation is facing perhaps one of its most difficult times adding that clearly, Covid-19 has reminded us of the need to be proactive in not only upgrading medical facilities and improving manpower, but also working ahead to develop preventive and curative capacity for infectious diseases”.
He charged the members who comprise of researchers from various tertiary institutions within the State, to work hard in utilising the human and material resources available in Plateau State that are capable of providing solutions for the treatment of infectious diseases such as Covid-19 which the State and the country are dealing with today.
The Governor said “it is a known fact that Plateau State is endowed with herbal and medicinal products that could be harnessed towards building capacity to withstand the threat of diseases such as the Coronavirus if, and when they spring up.
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Therefore, he said the State must not only look inwards to find a solution to the current Covid-19 challenge, but also use today’s experience to prepare for the future in order to avoid panic and desperation.
Governor Lalong charged the researchers to be diligent in carrying out the special assignment, and to have at the back of their minds that in the long run, all efforts should lead towards establishing a modern infectious diseases hospital in Plateau State.
The Committee’s Terms of Reference include:
(a) To Search for conventional and or alternative drugs for the treatment and cure of the Corona virus.
(b) Design treatment protocols for the treatment of the virus.
(c) Conduct clinical trials on the candidate drug (s).
(d) Design control mechanism for the spread of the virus.
(e) Any other design that will curtail the pandemic and subsequent diseases.
The Committee has one week to present a proposal to Government. Within three weeks, Government will be expecting a draft of research prospects, while fortnightly; a progress report should be submitted.
Members of the Committee include Professor Noel N. Wannang – Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Jos (Lead Researcher); Professor Jacob A. Kolawole – Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Jos; Dr. Falang Kakjing – Pharmacology Department, University of Jos; and
Professor James Damen – Medical Laboratory Science, University of Jos.
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Others are Dr. Yusuf Agabi – Virology Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Jos; Dr Richard J Kutshik – Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Jos; Dr. Bukar Bukata – Pharmacology, University of Jos; and Dr Ajima Ukpe – Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Jos.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
